After an
unimpressive summer in the UK dealing with all the jobs that had piled up during
our absence last winter it was back to Antigua for Ted to supervise taking
Moorglade out of the shed and doing all the pre-launch tasks – antifouling,
sorting the electrical problems,
finding all the bits and pieces that had been packed away, etc, etc. His
first problem was on arrival at the airport where the pre-booked car was
conspicuous by its absence. However this was resolved quickly enough to enable
him to be able to present himself back at the Tot Club to start as he meant to
go on – with plenty of rum! At least Moorglade had come to no harm, safely shut
up in the shed, and it only took one day longer than planned to get her out onto
the hard. The jobs were made harder by the frequent torrential rain and the need
to drive to the other side of the island for any required chandlery, but after a
week and a half and another replacement hire car (the second one gave up the
ghost on a steep hill) the boat was back in the water and I had returned as
well.
Wednesday
14th saw us waiting anxiously for the hire car to be collected before
we could leave. They finally arrived only 2 hours after the appointed time and
soon after we were retracing our track along the North coast of Antigua. It only
seemed like yesterday we had been sailing the other way, not 6 months
previously, but the rain seemed to have stopped and there was bright sun and not
a lot of wind. We headed for Jolly Harbour and the big supermarket for a
thorough re-provisioning. We had Invited Joe Karpinski to join us for a meal the
next day and he managed the bus journey over from Cobbs Cross in good order and
before Ted had finished all the jobs that hadn’t quite got done earlier. But no
matter as we had a pleasant lunch on board and then were able to catch up on all
the news before heading out for a delicious evening meal. We had originally
intended to head to Montserrat from Jolly Harbour but the forecast of quite a
big sea, which would mean even worse conditions in the anchorage there made the
decision to postpone Montserrat in favour of a very pleasant sail to English
Harbour (and more rum drinking opportunities) an easy one, with the added bonus
that Joe could hitch a ride back and save himself the return bus
journey.
English Harbour
has changed since we were last here, the approach and channel are now
buoyed and the anchorage has become much more restricted, but we were able
to find a spot in Freemans Bay and spend 2 pleasant days drinking rum, clearing
paths, and doing boat jobs (Ted), and doing laundry, cooking and working (Kay).
Tonight it was farewell to the Tot Club and tomorrow we are finally off to
Montserrat at first light.
End of last season - Moorglade being lifted out for the
summer
Sam's travelling
power wash gets the bottom clean
The big shed makes Moorglade look quite
insignificant
Moorglade's home for the summer
Joe enjoying the sail home from Jolly Harbour
Friadya night at The Copper and Lumber for the Tot
Club
Sunset over
Montserrat
